Moderation was and continues to be, one of the hardest things I’ve ever struggled with in my life. Whether it’s eating a bag of my favorite potato chips (purely out of boredom), watching a couple episodes of my favorite show on Netflix, or simply taking a nap, it can be challenging not to overdo even the simplest of things. Of course, if you were to watch an entire season of "Orange Is the New Black," not much harm could be done other than avoiding some overdue homework. But when it comes to alcohol, moderation is perhaps one of the most important things to keep in mind. If neglected, the consequences can be far worse than a late homework assignment.

If you’ve ever attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, you’d probably agree. Hearing the stories of struggling and recovering alcoholics is life-changing. I attended a meeting over the past summer to witness how my father, who has been sober for nearly 20 years now, works with those he sponsors. Once a struggling alcoholic himself, he now is a sponsor for several individuals who are attempting to change their lives around through the AA program.

I listened to several stories first hand about how alcohol had negatively affected (and in some cases, almost destroyed) the minds, bodies and lives of nearly an entire room of grown adults. It was hard to fathom just how humiliated some of them must have felt, sharing things they had done under the influence, with a group of strangers. As speakers of ages varying from twenty to sixty from around the room told their stories and proceeded to sit back down, an older gentleman stood up. Shaking uncontrollably from head to toe (this seemed to be the longest he had gone without a drink for quite some time), he spoke a few words and read a passage of scripture from one of the books the group had been reading together.

I don’t remember exactly what the passage was, but as I listened to this man speak I was at a loss for words. I wasn’t even sure what to think. I could obviously see how much he was struggling, and it hit much harder than I could have ever expected. My imagination raced as I began to think of who this man was at my age. The experiences he experienced, friends he had known, and places he had been. Fast forward 50 years and here he was, in the very same room I was in. I wondered how his life may have landed him somewhere differently if he had been in my place during this stage of his life, listening in on an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

I share this story not to promote AA or to shun anyone who drinks alcohol, but rather to stress just how dangerous alcohol abuse can be. As a young adult living on a college campus, where drinking is highly glamourized, it is much too easy to fall victim to binge drinking simply because “it’s the thing to do." Regardless of whether you hear it from health class or from the mouths of parents, it’s so easy to ignore everything that is told to you about the dangers of irresponsible drinking, especially when it becomes a social norm in the sub-culture you’re a part of. Almost weekly, I run into someone keeled over one of our hall toilets, getting busted for drinking in his or her dorm, or simply telling their mates about some of the horrible experiences they had witnessed or had gone through during the previous few nights. After swearing that they’d never put themselves through it again, out they go the following weekend as if nothing had happened.

I do not intend to make myself out to be some saint. From the second I was introduced to alcohol up until the moment I decided that alcohol was more of a foe than a friend of mine, I realized that I had no ability whatsoever to moderate myself when it came to drinking. This led to several intoxicated experiences that I realized I actually wasn’t too proud of, and a handful of stories I would not be enthused to share. I’ve tried many times to remember some sort of achievement that the sober version of myself would be proud of, and out of all the nights I was able to remember, I can't pick a single one out.

So... where am I going with this?

Well, alcohol affects everyone differently. While it will never be problematic for some, it will be problematic for many. However, it’s important to note that drinking alcohol involves much more than putting down as much Fireball as you can handle or finishing that entire 30 rack of Keystone in under an hour.

Drinking responsibly is a skill that includes the ability to moderate and limit one's self, and unfortunately, that isn’t something you see very much of in a college environment. While this is typical in just about every college or university, the unfortunate truth is that when you train yourself to drink heavily on a regular basis during some of the most influential years of your life, you’re setting yourself up to struggle with alcohol long after you graduate.

Turning to alcohol as an outlet for stress relief, entertainment, or an attempt at creating relationships only sets you up for failure further down the road.

Alcohol truly has the ability to change your life in a matter of hours. It can transform people into entirely different people. And from the perspective of someone with an extremely addictive and impulsive personality, it cannot be treated lightly. I know for certain that the men and women sitting in that Alcoholics Anonymous meeting wouldn’t hesitate to agree.

Regardless of how well you might think you can handle yourself, my wish is that those reading this article will learn to treat alcohol with the enormous respect that it commands. This year, just before Spring Break, a wonderful girl who lived the floor above me was suspended from the university for having to get her stomach pumped... Twice. I haven’t talked to her since, but I imagine she would go about things a little differently if given a second chance.

Unfortunately, there are no second chances, and it’s truly difficult to stress just how crucial it is to drink responsibly. These four or more years that we get the opportunity to be college students are some pretty spectacular years filled with endless possibilities, so you might as well make the best of them. Next time you find yourself out on the town, remember to be smart. You’ll only be doing yourself a favor.